Journal box



Aug. 8, 1933. H. T. CASE? 1,922,015

J OURNAL BOX Filed Oct. 31. 1928 FIG. 2

Howard T Casey Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED STATES 1,922,015 JOURNAL Box Howard T. Casey, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to The Symington Company, New York, N. Y., a Corporation of Maryland Application October 31, 1928. Serial No. 316,262

17 Claims. (Cl. 308-45) This invention relates to journal boxes and more particularly to an improved lid therefor.

The principal object of my invention, generally considered, is the construction of an improved lid for journal boxes provided with resilient means performing the double function of hinging the lid to an associated box and actuating a lever for holding said lid in open or closed position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a journal box lid formed without the usual hinging ears, with resilient means connected thereto for acting on a lever and holding said lid in open or closed position with respect to an associated box, said resilient means also functioning as hinging ears for the lid.

A further object of my invention is to provide a journal box lid adapted to completely close the outer opening of a journal box and formed with lugs on the outer face thereof for pivotally mounting a lever which serves to hold an associated spring which acts thereon to hold the lid in open or closed position, said spring being formed with eyes for the reception of ahinging bolt for movably connectingsaid spring and its associated lid to the box.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an'improved lid for journal boxes formed for association with an operating lever and associated torsion spring, said lever being pivotally mounted on the front face of the lid and having trunnion extensions pivotally mounting the torsion spring which actuates the lever to hold the lid in open or closedposition, said spring being provided with loops for receiving pivotal means to connect the lid to the associated journal box, said lid being formed with lugs overlying the spring near the loops therein for holding said spring in operative relation with respect to the lid.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement and construction of the variousparts will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawing illustrating my in- 4a vention, the scope whereof is defined by the appended claims.

- Figure l is a front elevation of a preferred embodiment of my lid shown assembled with an associated journal box, torsion spring, and connecting pin or bolt.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. I

Figure 3 is a sectional View on the line 3--3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters;

there is shown a journal box 1 formed with a hinge lug 2 of conventional character, said lug being provided with an aperture 3 for pivotally connecting an associated lid therewith and with angularly disposed surfaces 4. and 5 for engagement with means for holding such a lid in closed or open position. i

. The lid 6, in the present embodiment, is formed with an inner peripheral surface 7 generally flat and adapted to engagethe edge 8 of the usual outer opening 9 in the journal box 1 around the full periphery thereof. The lid 6 may be formed in any desired manner as by oasting, it being preferably formed of malleable iron. In the present embodiment, the lid is provided with depending outer flanges 10 extending along the outer periphery thereof on the sides and across the top, except adjacent the hinge lug 2 where formed with inward depressions l5 separated by 5 a ridge 16. The depressions 15 provide for the reception of the coil portions 17 of a torsion spring 18, the ridge 16 being engaged by the central or intermediate portion of the associated actuating lever 19 for properly mounting the, same'for on applying pressure to the lid at approximately the center thereof. The front face of the lid is preferably formed with a pair of outstanding downwardly curved lugs 20 forming jaws, bearings, or pockets 21 receiving the T-shaped lower end or trunnion portion 22 of the lever 19 for pivotally mounting said lever with respect to said lid. The trunnion portions 22 of the T-shaped lower end of the lever preferably extend laterally beyond the lugs 20 and form bearing lugs or journals extending through the coil portions 17 of the spring 18 for holding said spring in operative relation with respect to the lid. The interme-'' diate portion 23 of the spring between the coils 17 preferably engages the lever 19 above. the l05 trunnion portions 22, thereby urging said lever into engagement with the lug 2 for holding the lid inopen or closed position. For improving the strength of the lever without increasing the weight thereof, the edge of the upwardly extendthe lid are dispensed with, thereby saving weight and cheapening the cost of the lid. To provide for the movable or pivotal connection between the lid and box, the upper portions of the torsion spring 18 are extended beyond the upper edge of the lid 6 and formed with eyes or loops 29 adapted to receive a hinge pin or bolt 30 extending through the aperture 3 in the hinge lug 2. In order to retain the spring 18 in proper assembled relation with respect to the lid 6 when the. latter is open, saidlidis preferably formed with angular lugs 31. extending from the face thereof adjacent the upper edge and having the free ends 32 thereof overlying the adjacent portionsof the spring 18, but not touching said portionswhen the lid is closed. It will be apparent that on account of this construction, the looped ends 29 of the spring function as the usual hinging ears in addition to being part of the resilient means for holding the lid in open. or closed position.

The hinge pin 30 may be of any desired character and in the present embodiment is shown as a bolt, preferably formed at one end with a head 33 and with the other end bifurcated to form prongs 34, said prongs being spread apart as indicated to prevent undesired removal or loss of said pin when in service. In the present embodiment, the eyes 29 embrace the bolt 30 and are formed with the free ends 35 of the spring positioned outwardly so that when. in service position, there will not be as much tendency to.

pull the eyes open.

Said eyes may be, slightly oval and the prongs 34 expanded in the direction of the long axis of the corresponding oval eye, so that the pin turns with the spring and minimizes wear between these parts.

Fromthe foregoing disclosure, it will be apparent that I have devised an improved form of journal box lid involving the elimination of the usualnhinging ears and the employment of a spring, which functions both as resilient means for urging an operating lever against an associated hinge lug and for hinging said lid to the associated journal box. The hinging portions or eyes of the spring may be formed either circular or oval as desired, and the means for attaching the coil portions of the spring to the lid may involve extended trunnionrportions on the operating lever, which trunnion portions are held in hook shaped lugs on the front face of the lid. Angular lugs or hooks are provided adjacent the upper edge of the lid for holding the hinging portions of the spring in proper relation with respect to said lid; Inasmuch as these jaws or hooks do not engage the spring when the lid is closed, but merely retain said spring and lid in proper assembled'relation upon opening the lid, they do not affect the fact that the spring acts substantially in the center of the lid through the trunnion or T shaped lower end of the lever 19, whereby substantially uniform pressure is maintained around the entire periphery ofsaid lid for insuring a tight seal with respect to the box.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a journal box with a hinge lug, a lid therefor with a substantially straight upper edge disposed entirely below said lug, a lever movably mounted on said lid and resilient means serving to press said lever against said hinge lug and having portions extended. toforin hinging ears to perform the added function of movably connecting the lid to the box.

2'. In combination, a journal box with a hinge lug, a lid adapted to cover an opening in said box, a lever movably mounted on the outer face of said lid, and resilient meansconnected to said lid adjacent the central portion thereof engaging said lever to press. the same against said hinge lug and extended to form hinging ears for connecting said lid and box.

3. In combination, a journal box with a hinge lug, a'lid for closing an opening therein, a lever pivoted to said lid and normally engaging said hinge lug, resilient means pivotally mounted:ad jacent the central portion of said lid and formed with extensions beyond an edge thereof, and an intermediate loop engaging said lever for actuating the, same, and a-pivot pin connecting ,said extensions to the hinge lug for movably mounting said lid.

4. In combination, a journal box formed with a hinge lug, a lid for closing an opening insaid box, a lever movably mounted on said lid, spring means mounted on said lidand formed with an intermediate portion engaging said lever topress it against saidlug and hold the lid in open or closed position, saidspring means being formed with portions exterior of said first mentioned portion and provided with looped ends, means for limitingmovement of said looped end pora tions with respect to said lid, and pivotal means extending through said looped endsand hinging lug on the box to movably mount the lid thereon. 5. In combination, a journal box with a hinge lug, a lid for closing anopening therein, a lever rotatively mounted adjacent the central portion of said lid, a torsionspring rotatively mounted adjacent the central portion of said lid and formed with an intermediate loop engagingsaid lever to press it against saidhingelug, to hold the lid in open or closed position, and portions extending on opposite sides of said loop and held in assembled relation with respect to said lid by means of angular lugs extending from the face of said lid, those portions of the spring beyond said lugs being. looped and pivotal means extending throughsaid looped portionsand said hinge lug for movably mounting said spring and associated lid with respect to said box.

6. In combination, a journal box formed with a hinging lug, alid for closing an opening in said box, a lever with trunnion portions pivotallyspring means being formed with looped endsfunctioning as hinging ears for the lid, and means extending through said ends and hinging lug on the box. v

'7. In combination, a journal box, a lid for closing an opening therein and formed with a substantially straight upper edge, a lever pivotally mounted on said lid and integral resilient means with looped ends extending beyond-said upper edge to receive a hinge pin and an intermediate portionnormallyacting: on said lever tov adapt said means for performing the double function of mounting the lid on the box and actuating the lever.

8. In combination, a journal box, a lid adapted to cover an opening therein, said lid being substantially rectangular in outline without hing-- ing ears, a lever mounted on said lid, and a spring mounted on said lever and resiliently pressing the same against a portion of said box to hold the lid in open or closed position, said spring being formed with upper extensions performing the double function of anchoring the spring with respect to the box and hinging the lid thereto.

9. In combination, a journal box, a lid for said box formed with a pair of outstanding downwardly opening jaw shaped lugs, a lever with trunnion means received in said lugs and extending laterally beyond the same, a spring with a pair of coils mounted on said trunnion means and an intermediate portion engaging said lever for actuating the same, said spring being formed with arms extending beyond the upper edge of the lid, and a hinge bolt extending through an ad jacent portion of said box, the arms of said spring being bent to embrace said bolt for hinging said lid with respect to the box and pressing said lever against a portion of said box to hold the lid in one of a plurality of positions.

10. In combination, a journal box formed with a hinge ing, a hin e pin extending through said lug, a lid for said box formed with outwardly extendin downwardly opening hinging lugs near the center thereof, a lever with a T shaped lower portion pivotally mounted in said lugs and extending laterally beyond the same, a coiled torsion spring with the coils thereof mounted on the parts of the T shaped end extending beyond said lugs and an intermediate portion engaging a part of the lever above said lugs, the ends of said spring being bent to provide eyes through which the pin extends for hinging said spring to the box, said spring thereby serving to hinge the lid and with the associated lever tohold it in open or closed position.

11. In combination, a journal box, a lid for closing an opening therein, a torsion spring rotatively mounted adjacent the central portion of said lid, a lever acted on by said spring to engage a portion of the journal box for holding the lid in open or closed position, said spring being formed with portions extending on opposite sides of said lever and held in assembled relation with respect to said lid by lugs extendtlierefrom, those portions of the spring beyond said lugs being bent to provide eyes and pivotal means extending through said eyes and the adjacent portion of the box for movably mounting said spring and the associated lid thereon, said connection between said spring and box taking the place of the usual pivotal connection between hinging ears on a lid and an associated box.

12. A journal box lid formed with an associated pivoted lever and a single resilient device pivoted coaxially therewith and provided with a portion for actuating the lever and arms formed to receive a hinging member movably connecting said lid to an associated box, and means for limiting movement of said arms with respect to said lid.

13. A journal box lid comprising a pivoted lever and an integral resilient device connected to the lid through the lever and extended to form eyes to receive a hinging member for connecting said lid and box, and means for limiting movement between the eyes and lid when the latter is open to maintain said eyes in proper position with respect thereto.

14. A journal box lid provided with outstanding hinging lugs adjacent the center thereof, an actuating lever pivoted in said lugs and a resilient device mounted on said lever for actuating the same and formed with arms extending beyond an edge of said lid, said arms being bent at their extremities and adapted to embrace a pivot pin for connecting said lid with an associated box,

and means for limiting movement of the arms box hinging lug and formed with portions provided with pivot looped ends for engagement with means for mounting said lid on an associated box, and means on said lid overlying said portions adjacent said looped ends to limit motion thereof with respect to said lid.

16. A journal box lid formed with outstanding downwardly opening lugs on the outer face thereof, a lever with a trunnion portion at its lower end movably mounted in said lugs, said lid being formed with a central portion thereof normally engaging a central part of said trunnion portion, a torsion spring rotatively mounted on the trunnion portion of said lever and formed with an intermediate portion normally engaging said lever above said trunnion portion for causing it I to engage a portion of an associated box to hold the lid in open or closed position, said spring also being provided with arms extending on opposite sides ofsaid intermediate portion, means extending from said lid to hold said arms in assembled relation with respect thereto, said arms beyond said holding means being bent to form eyes adapted to receive pivotal means extending therethrough for movably mounting said spring and lid with respect to the associated box.

HOWARD 'r. CASEY. 

